The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-07
FIRE IN A BUSINESS BLOCK.
Talbott's Washington Street Building
Badly Damaged by the Flames.
The Goods of Cathcart, Cleland & Co., and
Other Occupants Destroyed by Fire and
Watef--1he Loss Estimated as $15,5OO.

At 5:45 o'clock, yesterday morning, Merchant |
Policeman Bacon discovered flames Issuing |
from the rear Of the roof OF the Talbsft Block,
Nos o2. "a and 26 East Washington street. He |
turned in an alarm in haste, and when CHIEF
Webster arrived, few minutes later. the flames
presented such dangerous aspect that gen.
eral alarm was sounded. The flames spread 80
rapidly that when the department began to
flood the building the entire third floor was
blazing, and all the 6remen could do was to pre-
vent the flames from reaching the second and
first floors, and from spreading to the adjacent
blocks. This they were. by heroic efforts. able
to do, though the amount of water it was found
necessary to use did thrice the damage OF the
fire. The entire third floor of the block was oc-
cupied by Harry Fowler, photographer, who lost
everything he had in the room. Not vestige
of his property was left but portion Of chair,
clean did the flames lick up the contents of his
rooms. The entire third floor of the block is an
entire wreck and while the walls are perhaps
good all the remainder will have to be rebuilt.
The flames, when first discovered. were issuing
from the roof, at the extreme north end of the
block. which indicates that the fire must have
originated in the rear of Mr.. Fowlers gal
lery AS to the origin, there can be only
superstition. There was stove in the gallery.
but it is believed hardly probable that the fire
could have started from it, for the reason that
the portion Of the room in which it stood was
least damaged. The general belief is that the
fire was started by incendia. es, for the purpose
Of plumber and had the flames not been checked
In time the two jewelry stores the first floor
would have afforded an excellent opportunity for
the work of thieves. Mr.. Fowler estimates his
loss at 81 600.
The second floor of the block is divided into
Office rooms all of which are occupied fol-
lowe: Charles r. Hasely, attorney; G. B. Black,
attorney; Henry NJ. Talbot proprietor of the
Oolitic stone-quarry; Turpie & Pierce, attor-
neys; Murphy, Miller & Merrill, insurance
agents, and w. H. Mansfield, tailor. All these
Offices were flooded, and the contents badly dam
aged. The losses ranged from $50 to 5000, all
| covered by insurance
| The goods on the lower floors were damaged
most severity. The occupants Of this part of the
| building were Horace Comstock, jeweler; Cath
cart, Cleland & Co., booksellers and dealers in
wallpaper; William Eisele ieweler and George
| j. Marott. dealer in boots and shoes. Their
| stores were all flooded. Comstock suffered the
| least. Nearly all of his goods were deposited in
| the safe, and the water did not reach them. The
| only damage he sustained was to the furnishings
of the store, which does not amount to moro
than $50. Cathcart, Cleland e. Co. are heavy
losers. They had just received large stock OF
spring wall paper, and also large lot of costly
| valentines. The latter were made entirely worth
less by the water, and the stock of paper and
books was damaged to very great extent They
will not know their loss until the stock is exam
ined. but they estimate il at between So, 900 and
$4,000. William Eisele was the heaviest loser.
He has recently increased his stock of jewelry
and fine watches, and had he claims over $l5,-
600 worth of goods exposed to the water.
His store is directly under the finish
| ing-rootn of the photograph gallery and
the acids used in finishing the pictures when the
fire cracked the bottles all dropped through upon
the watches and jewelry, and ate away the pol
ish. Several cases Of jewelry were made almost
| totally worthless in this amer, and much was
also damaged by the fluid from the chemical,
that was used in the room above. He estimates
his loss at So OOO and thinks it may run higher.
| George j. Marotts stock of SHOES was not great
| ly damaged The room was flooded but nearly
all the goods were up. His total loss will not
exceed a few hundred dollars
The block is owned by the Talbot heirs, and
is rented by William H. Talbot. The loss on
the property is estimated at So OO0 making the
aggregate amount $l5. 500. The insurance on
the damaged property is as follows: William
H. Talbot, on building. $4,000, in German Mu-
tual; Henry Fowler. on photograph gallery, 81,
400, in City of London Cathcart, Cleland & Co.. ,
| Germania. $1,000; Home of New York. 81. 500;
| Nav York Alliance. 81. 800; Rochester German,
$1,000 Liverpool and London and Globe, So, 900;
Etna, 81, 600, and Franklin $l.000-totai, $11,
600; William Eisele. S.. 600, in German Mutual,
of Indiana. Both Comstock and Marott are also
| we'll insured Tho fire was the most destructive
| that has been on Washington street for several
years, and had not the alarm been turned in
promptly it would soon have been under such
Roadway that the department would have found
it difficult to subdue.
The building will be repaired at once. The
merchants on the lower floor will require sew.
eral days to dry out and assert their stock, and
| they fear the loss will be found much heavier
than at FIRST estimated. The belief that the fire
| was started by ncendiaries is strengthened by
| the fact that while the building was burning the
| wholesale house of Kipp Brothers was broken
omen nv thieves